Free streaming services are made for watching great movies. This month, Pluto TV just added one of my favorite comic book movies, and you can stream it right now for free.
No, I'm not talking about one of the Marvel movies; I'm talking about Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro's 2004 classic: "Hellboy."
This was one of the first comic book movies I ever saw, and from the first moment, I loved it. The performances are great, particularly Ron Perlman as the titular superhero/demon.
Just as importantly, it was also the first del Toro movie I saw, and it made me a permanent fan of the iconic director. If you don't find the fishy romance at the heart of "The Shape of Water" particularly accessible, then "Hellboy" is a great way to get into del Toro's work. It even still features Doug Jones as a half-man/half-fish creature!
So without further ado, here's what "Hellboy" is about and why you need to be streaming it on Pluto TV this month.
What is 'Hellboy' about?
"Hellboy" is adapted from the Dark Horse Comics series of the same name, pulling from the character's debut comic run, "Hellboy: Seed of Destruction."
The movie starts in 1944, towards the end of World War II. The Nazis, led by the Russian mystic Rasputin, are close to opening a portal with the inent of unleashing demons on the world to win the war for Germany.
Thankfully, a team of Allied soldiers arrives, along with the paranormal scientist Trevor "Broom" Bruttenholm. They put a stop to the Nazi plan, but not before a baby demon makes it through the portal. Broom adopts the young creature and names him "Hellboy."
Fast forward to the present day and Hellboy, Broom are working with the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense to stop other demons and paranormal occurrences.
Unfortunately, their job is about to get a lot harder. Turns out the Nazi's didn't die in 1944, and they've now ressurected Rasputin with the sole intent of using Hellboy's demonic powers to being about the apocalypse.
'Hellboy' inspired the MCU but still feels fresh
Going back to "Hellboy" feels like a breath of fresh air in today's superhero movie landscape.
While every comic book adaptation today feels uninspired or rehashed (though it seems "Thunderbolts*" is a return to form), del Toro's distinct filmmaking style sets "Hellboy" apart.
For starters, the movie is almost entirely in darkness. The creature design is incredible, even with the limits of CGI in 2004. While it doesn't get quite as weird as del Toro's later work, like "Pan's Labyrinth," it's undeniably a del Toro film.
But revisiting it all these years later, it's clear this movie inspired the superhero movies to come.
Hellboy's dialogue could be dropped into a script for Tony Stark and people wouldn't know the difference.
There are occult Nazi's trying to rule the world (see: Hydra) and there's a scene where Hellboy smashes in the hood of a car to stop it that you could see Hulk or a few other MCU characters try in a Marvel movie without batting an eye.
Of course, both del Toro and the source material are inspired by the DC and Marvel Jack Kirby comics of old.
"Hellboy" creator Mike Mignola worked for both Marvel and DC before creating "Hellboy," and if I told you he worked with characters that included Daredevil, The Incredible Hulk and Batman, you probably wouldn't be surprised at this point.
So if you love comic book movies, "Hellboy" is a must-watch. Go stream it for free now, whether you've never seen it before or just need to revisit Guillermo del Toro's creation.
Stream "Hellboy" for free on Pluto TV
Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.
Here's what he's been watching lately:
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